


The Only Word He Cares About

by Hiver_Frost_Elf



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bruce Banner-centric, Canon Compliant, First Meetings, Gen, Introspection, POV Bruce Banner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 18:54:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18212249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hiver_Frost_Elf/pseuds/Hiver_Frost_Elf
Summary: Bruce's thoughts upon meeting the once frozen Steve Rogers.





	The Only Word He Cares About

**Author's Note:**

> rewatching the first MCU Avengers movie and this came to me when That Scene hit.

Bruce had almost bumped into some pilots when he heard his name. After so long wandering about this submerged, pressurized, metal container—wondering where he should be—Bruce met someone who was just as out of place here as he was; or at least, he'd thought so. SHIELD's military trappings were actually familiar to the other man. Bruce didn't blame him for clinging to anything that was recognizable in such a thoroughly different time, never mind location.

Steve Rogers shook his hand and got straight to business, "Word is you can find the cube."

Bruce looked around with his hands locked together, "Is that the only word on me?"

"Only word I care about."

Bruce thought it couldn't possibly be true. Steve Rogers wouldn't have been tagged to lead them without being informed of the Other Guy, and he certainly wouldn't have learned about the Other Guy without forming some sort of opinion about Him or Bruce or both.

Bruce also thought maybe he's being polite to keep him calm in order to keep the Other Guy away when there wasn't any fighting to do.

Bruce additionally thought he might actually mean it. He believed the chance of that being true was smaller than an atom, but the hope still poisoned him all the same.

Then Bruce thought that Steve Rogers only valued him for what he could do. His seven PhDs, hard-working mind, and emotional awareness were useless if he couldn't complete their goal. Bruce knew that saving the world wouldn't leave time for pleasantries or patience, but everything was moving so quickly already.

Case in point, that submarine becoming a plane.

Bruce knew he could find the tesseract, but how fast would he be able to?  The world would be doomed if he didn't do it fast enough.  Would the stress of hurrying prematurely summon the Other Guy?  Did Bruce have a purpose beyond  _another genius_?  He knew Tony Stark was somewhere around here.  Surely, Stark could do it all in the time it took Bruce to find a computer.

Whatever Steve Rogers meant, he was the man who would lead them.

Bruce couldn't help but feel nervous.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for taking time to read this; enjoy what you do here and everywhere!


End file.
